In a dark room insulated from most noises, a hunched figure sat with a blanket over his head. The controller in his hands clicked and clacked as sound effects came from the screen in front of him. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK. “Atticus, your dinner is on the table and I’m off to work. Make sure you eat before bed.”
After his aunt made her announcement, she walked back down the stairs and out the door. Atticus glanced towards the door only momentarily at her advice, then ignored it and continued his game. There were two things the fifteen-year-old loved to do. Game and sleep. That was it. He liked eating well enough, but he would often forget to whenever he was invested in a game. This happened very often.
When his so called ‘Mother’ had left him on his aunt’s doorstep at the age of five, the pain of abandonment would disappear in the bliss of sleep. When he wondered where his absentee ‘Father’ was that he had never met, gaming would distract him. And so the cycle repeated. Pressing the buttons and tilting the knobs soothed his soul. His character, an elf this time, leapt out of the way with his fleetfoot skill, just as the giant monkey boss slammed down his fists. He had this win in the bag. The stars had surely aligned this day. He would finally beat his most recent nemesis after five hours of retaking the boss fight over and over. With the highjump skill the elf leapt in the air and used airkick to deal the finishing blow. The health bar went down to zero, then the boss fell backwards slowly and landed on the ground. The stars had truly aligned! He had won. Setting down the controller he got to his feet and jumped up and down, throwing of the blanket in the process. Once. Once was enough, then he got dizzy. Wow he really needed to eat. How long had it been this time?
“Greetings, your world has now been incorporated into what is commonly referred to as the Nexus. Tutorial protocols are being activated. Good luck.”
Huh? The unexpected screen made him loose his footing in surprise.
“Tutorial is now commencing. In preparation it is advised you find a weapon. 10… 9… 8…”
The next notification skewed his vision making him dizzy again and he still hadn’t found his footing. After some stumbling, he finally fell backwards, cracking open his skull on the metal bedframe behind him. A few moments later, a hobgoblin appeared. The challenger stared in confusion. She hadn’t even attacked him yet, but he was already dead. Just what had happened to this newly incorporated human?
****
Incorporation interrupted.
Substituting incorporation with transmigration.
Processing…
Accepted.
What was that? It was like a voice. It also wasn’t though. Atticus couldn’t think. What was real? What wasn’t real? Why couldn’t he feel anything, yet could feel everything at the same time. He just wanted to sleep, but the voice not voice wouldn’t let him.
Activating Transmigration Protocols.
Gathering information transmigrator has imitated within the previous 10 minutes.
Please wait…
Notice: Transmigrator’s body will have the following:
RACE: [ELF]
Skill: [FLEETFOOT].
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
Skill: [HIGHJUMP].
Skill: [AIRKICK].
Skill: [CONCENTRATE]
Notice: Race’s people must have the trait – [CONQUERER]
Processing…
Notice: Suitable body found.
Initial soul of body fading.
State: [SICKENED]
Cause: Silron’s Disease
Merging will abolish any injury or disease.
Soul compatibility – 93.4%
Processing…
Accepted
Notice: Merging souls.
Transferring initial body’s memories will complete merge
Memory transfer 14% complete.
… 22% complete.
… 37% complete.
… 45% complete.
… 59% complete.
… 73% complete.
… 86% complete.
… 95% comp#$&*@###
Ow. He was pretty sure he didn’t have a body anymore so why did that hurt. Kind of. Not really, but it actually did. Somehow.
Error…
Processing…
Notice: Maximum memory transfer reached 93.4%
Accepted.
Transfer Complete.
Notice: Transmigration to [CELESTIAL HIGH ELF] complete.
At this point the hurt not hurt had stopped so he could think not think again. However, just a few moments later his consciousness faded away.
****
“Arcturius. Arcturius are you with us boy!”
There was a loud voice bellowing. It was his Father’s. Wait a minute. He didn’t have a father. What was going on? Why was everything so bright?
He groaned and then sat up. For some reason that made everyone around him gasp. He was still trying to open his eyes against the brightness, but they didn’t want to. So his efforts just caused him to blink really fast, meaning he still didn’t see much of anything.
“Oh, my son, did the treatment actually work” a more feminine voice sobbed.
Mother?
“Little brother, you must answer our parents to assuage their fears” another male voice said.
He knew his big brother actually just wanted to hear the answer for himself, but he always had to act so stoic. Hang on. He had a brother? Finally opening his eyes, he saw five people surrounding a queen-sized canopy bed. The woman in the chair was in tears with worry and sadness, but also hope.
The woman, no… elf, the female elf in white robes on the other side of the bed gestured at him. “There is no need to fear [DUKE] Starleaf, [DUCHESS] Starleaf. If you’ll notice, the [UNHEALTHY] tag, as well as the [SICKENED] and [DISEASED] sub tags have vanished.”
The male elf behind her, also in white robes, spoke next “The miracle experimental treatment must have been a success this time around as well. The figures of success and failure have been very sporadic. This is a treatment that must be studied further.”
“Yes, of course, the Starleaf [DUKEDOM] will be happy to make extra donations. You may leave now.”
At Father’s dismissal, the apparent medical staff exited the room.
Now there were only three elves in the room. “No, there are four” he thought as Arcturius, no Atticus, began to put the pieces together. He’d been transmigrated. Just like in some of the books he liked to read. Yes, Atticus had read books as a side hobby. Books with game like elements in them of course. Those were the most interesting. Thinking on it, he quickly learned that Arcturius had too. They had so much in common. Well, that was to be expected, now that they were the same person. Arcturius was now Atticus. And Atticus was now Arcturius.
“Arc?” Taranth, his big brother asked while kneeling on the side of his bed “Are you there?”
“Um, I’m a little out of sorts. I think I need a moment” he said.
His family nodded but didn’t leave. They just watched and waited with nervous and hopeful expressions. Well, his mother and brother did. Father was as stern as always, not a shred of emotion to be seen or heard. He was a [DUKE] after all. Nothing short of perfection was accepted by him.
After a minute or so of pulling himself together his mother lunged unable to take the tension anymore. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and cried into his hair. “My son, I am so glad you are awake and well. The disease took you so quickly and held you in its grip for far too long. A mother should never have to watch the one she has raised lay in bed for months on end.”
Before he could speak up his father did “It was only two months Varda. Of course, he would be well again. I had no doubt. I told you, didn’t I? You did not need to worry yourself.”
Terse words spoken, the stoic elf walked out the bedroom door and left. Atticus continued to think things through as his brother waited patiently and his mother clung to him like her life depended on it. There was some processing to do.